


And Acres Yet

by Transom (ThegoodshipRickyl)



Category: The Great Escape (1963)
Genre: Claustrophobia, Falling In Love, M/M, based on the movie but with sprinklings of the book, this is virtually canon ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2018-05-01
Packaged: 2019-04-30 09:43:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14494218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThegoodshipRickyl/pseuds/Transom
Summary: Willie realizes what Danny truly means to him.





	And Acres Yet

It was a routine question, one of the first questions one asks a fellow as one is getting to know him. Willie had asked and had been asked many questions as he and his fellow “rotten eggs” had settled into Stalag Luft III. He had come to know all the new faces and the old, had made friends and acquaintances, but his own bunkmate had remained elusive to him. As ever, he seemed to prefer the company of his tunnels to his comrades. 

 

So the question was asked with genuine curiosity, and Willie watched the response attentively, noting the color that rose to his old friend’s cheeks and the sudden interest he gave to his feet. 

 

“No,” Danny answered simply, shyly. “I do not have a girl at home. There is no one.” 

 

Willie gave him a sympathetic smile. “That's all right, Danny. Just wait till we get out of _here_. You'll be a hero, and they'll be lined up from here to Essex!” 

 

Danny shrugged, but the corner of his mouth quirked up. “You say so,” he mumbled, and Willie felt the case being closed. He shrugged as well, then pushed himself off the bunk. 

 

“C’mon, Romeo.” He clapped him on the back as he stood, feeling years of hard-earned muscle beneath his hand. “We'd better report to Tom on the double, or our Trapfuehrer will be cross.” 

 

Willie heard him get up to follow him and smiled to himself, thinking about Danny's blush. 

 

*** 

 

Danny had always been even more reserved _inside_ the tunnel, focused like a compass that pointed the way out instead of north. But Willie had always noticed a hard set to his shoulders that he never had above ground, a discomfort that went beyond what was normal for being in what sometimes felt like the slowest autobahn to Hell. He had never pried, figuring that whatever it was, Danny seemed to be in control of it, and Willie trusted him to share the load when he was ready. 

 

As always, they had a few collapses while digging, and it never got less frightening, if it did get more routine. It was enough to shake even the steadiest of diggers, hundreds of pounds of sand leaving one immobile and entombed in the darkness, under a crushing weight with no hope except for your tunnel mate to rescue you. Willie always considered himself fortunate to have a good one in Danny, who had to pull him out of the sand twice before Tom was fifty feet long. 

 

Willie had to return the favor towards the end of one of their shifts as Tom was approaching its first underground waystation. It wasn’t a bad fall, only covering his top half, but Danny was almost paralyzed with fear when Willie freed him, eyes shut tight and his breathing fast and ragged. He rolled over to lie on his stomach and held his face in his hands, elbows in the dirt, shaking his head and muttering in terrified Polish. 

 

Willie reached a hand out to his shoulder, smoothing it down the middle of his back as he shushed him gently. “It's alright, old boy. Let's just fill this in and carry on. We're almost to the end.” 

 

Danny just shook his head, a small whimper escaping him. Willie frowned and moved in closer to lie beside him. They were pressed together in the confined space, and though Willie had always taken comfort in having a mate’s solid body nearby, it didn't seem like Danny shared that feeling. He thrashed away, plastering himself against the wall, eyes wide and his entire body covered in sweat and sand. 

 

“Done,” he insisted, starting backwards down the tunnel so quickly Willie had little time to grab him. He tried to haul him back up by the armpits, but Danny was too strong, and seemed to be halfway up the tunnel before Willie could get his wits about him. 

 

“I can't do this on my own, Danny!” he shouted as he backed up, but Danny made no reply, so Willie huffed and scooted his way backwards as quickly as he could until he felt his feet hit the markedly fresher air of the shaft chambers. 

 

The Englishman in the air pump chamber eased up on the bellows and gave him a quizzical look. “What happened? He went up the ladder like a demon.” 

 

Willie shrugged and pushed his hair back from his forehead. “We had a collapse. I think he's frightened of being buried alive,” he mused, more to himself than the pump man, who had leaned against the wall tiredly, arms hanging at his sides. 

 

"Everyone is," he muttered, a little bitterly. 

 

“I'll send a new shift down,” Willie assured him as he stepped onto the ladder, and the pump man grunted tired assent but didn't move. Willie felt his own arms wobble as he climbed up out of Tom to the surface, blinking in the relative brightness. 

 

He found Danny leaning against a bunk, staring out a window, and he looked sheepish as Willie approached. He shifted his broad shoulders and turned his stare back to the window, determinedly avoiding Willie even as he was less than a foot away. 

 

Willie reached out to touch his arm. “We've quite a mess to clean up,” he told him gently. 

 

Danny ducked his head and nudged a toe against the wall. “A minute,” he mumbled. “I promise.” 

 

Willie gave him a soft, approving hum. “I'll be waiting.” He cupped the nape of Danny's neck briefly, before ruffling some of the sand out of his hair, and Danny gave him a look that was part confusion and part something Willie couldn't quite place. 

 

When Willie went back down to Tom’s chambers, still in his filthy digging clothes, he got a surprised look from the relief pump man, a sandy-mustachioed Scot from a neighboring hut, leaning against the wall waiting for them. 

 

“Come back down for another go?” he asked, and Willie shrugged, flashing a cheeky smile. 

 

“What else is there to do?” 

 

*** 

 

In the days that followed, as Tom stretched forward and then was heart-breakingly discovered, Willie found more than just a splendid tunnel mate in Danny, but a friend as well, getting to know him better than he ever had at their previous camps. He sometimes wondered what the outside perspective of their friendship was - where Willie was sunny and warm, Danny could be mistaken for glum and chilly; where Willie craved contact, Danny could shy away at the slightest touch; where Willie could hop down a tunnel shaft and then quickly lose momentum, Danny could keep at it doggedly provided he had no breaks in focus. 

 

Willie was surprised to learn that Danny was an avid picture-goer, and in turn Willie surprised Danny by revealing that he was more of a reader, though he did harbor something of an infatuation for Paulette Goddard, a fact which upon confession to Danny, was met with a rare grin, though it was tinged with something else. 

 

Willie understood that Danny had been a coal miner and had received little in the way of higher education, and so was always curious when Willie talked about public school and all the lads and all the books they had read. One day, he watched Willie with one of his few personal possessions, a battered copy of _A Room with a View_ , and asked shyly if he could borrow it. 

 

“Sure! You'll love it, it's quite funny.” 

 

When it was returned several days later with an unimpressed look, Willie remembered that English class humor could easily be lost on a Polish ex-coal miner with a slight language barrier and found him a copy of _Treasure Island_ in the library for him instead. That led to him seeing Danny with a new book almost every week, sounding out complicated new words and turning pages at a relaxed rate. One of the most startling literary choices he saw him with was _Lady Chatterley’s Lover_ , and it was amusing to watch the color light up on his face every so often as he read. 

 

“That book’ll make you wanna run home to the missus even more than usual,” one of the Americans told him one day as he was reading it in his bunk. Willie put his own book down and crawled to the edge of his upper bunk to grin at the man and hear Danny's response. He must've just blushed and carried on reading, because the American pressed the issue as he was pulling his boots on to go outside for a stooge shift. “The Tunnel King must have a Tunnel Queen, right?” 

 

“You're lucky Big X isn't around to hear you say the T word,” Willie chipped in, half-serious, but Danny seemed momentarily oblivious to the taboo. 

 

“Willie is Tunnel Queen,” he joked. 

 

Willie’s jaw dropped, and the American burst into laughter as he leaned over the side to get a look at Danny, who was smiling innocently. 

 

“I ought to wring your neck!” Willie threatened indignantly. He made to jump down, feet hitting the floor just as Danny attempted to escape. Willie was faster though, wrapping him up before he got too far, rugby tackling him into another bunk and pinning him down with his slighter body. 

 

He had both of Danny's wrists above his head and was breathing hard from the effort before he realized that his intended victim was hardly struggling; rather he was shaking with controlled laughter. 

 

“ _Tunnel Queen_ ,” he said again, voice bubbling over with mirth, and Willie tried to shush him even as he suppressed his own amusement. 

 

“You can't _say_ that word.” He leaned in closer until their chests were inches apart and tapped him on the nose with his finger. “It's very naughty.” 

 

Danny grinned up at him and for a moment they were lost in their own world. The only thing that mattered was Danny's body underneath him, a startling yet immediately calming realization. He could feel Danny's stomach pushing at his as he breathed, as they breathed in sync with each other, and the world narrowed to just them, until the spell was broken by one of their comrades lying in a bunk across the way. 

 

“When's the royal wedding, then, eh?” the English digger said sardonically. 

 

An Australian penguin piped up from another bunk. “Yeah, _we're_ trying to escape. They're trying to _elope_.” 

 

Willie grinned good-naturedly as he slid off Danny and onto the edge of the paillasse. “I think a honeymoon in Switzerland _does_ sound rather lovely this time of year.” 

 

The digger scoffed. “I'd be pleased with a stroll in the woods myself. A damn sight nicer than staring at these same bloody bedboards above my head.” 

 

The talk went on to all the merits of freedom and home and plain English girls, as Willie turned and looked at Danny, catching a small smile that he quickly hid with a duck of his head. Willie couldn't resist ruffling his hair, a move which was becoming one of his favorites, and thought about getting away with him. 

 

*** 

 

The cruelest aspect of the tunnel now was its privacy, which Willie could only spend with Danny by filling the hours with work, when all he wished for anymore was to touch him, explore him, read with him and dream with him. Even Danny was digging less steadfastly now, but Willie couldn't be sure if that was because he shared his feelings or if the seriousness of the tunnel’s length was beginning to press on him. They were nearly 300 feet into Harry, almost ready to start work on the third waystation, and the whole camp was alive with escape fever that they hadn't felt since Tom was sniffed out. It couldn’t seem to make them work any faster though, with tired arms and low rations and thoughts of failure beginning to creep in as they turned into the homestretch. 

 

Collapses still happened, though none to Willie and Danny for some time, so the tension crept up on them as they chipped ahead carefully, each trolley they filled with sand a great relief until it returned empty and they were forced to resume. 

 

Willie nearly had the little cart filled again when he heard the crack above his head, and Danny couldn’t yank him back before the largest amount of sand yet collapsed on him, immediately flattening him to the tunnel floor and burying him almost completely, so that he could only just wriggle his feet. The silent, crushing darkness lasted long enough to feel like death, but there was no peace, only useless terror as his body struggled pathetically against the weight of the earth. He could feel hands on his ankles, pulling desperately to no avail, but then they were gone, and true panic set in as his last thought was of Danny dying too, perhaps buried by a second wave. 

 

But if a second wave had happened, Willie reasoned through the terror, how could he have been able to move his feet? How could he have felt them at all if he wasn’t dead and gone, how could he have then felt warm tunnel air on his legs, nails scratching at his skin, sand being flung at his feet, and strong fingers bruising his hips as the sand above him gave way and he was being pulled out like the world's most unlucky champagne cork, coughing and gasping as he found enough strength in his arms to scramble back. He felt Danny's full weight when he landed on his back, then it was gone as Danny was turning him around and holding him up, cradling him as he coughed and spit sand and tried to breathe again. 

 

He found himself gripping Danny's arms for dear life as he gasped, eyes wide in shock, blinking occasionally. He looked at Danny and opened his mouth to laugh in pure disbelief, but it faded when he saw Danny's eyes brimming with tears, and when he felt Danny's hands tremble where he was holding him so tenderly. 

 

“Hey,” he tried whispering, hoarse and painful. “Don't.” When Danny choked back a sob, Willie touched his face gently. “It's alright, love. Really. Right as rain.” 

 

Danny shook his head and let him down pressing the heel of one hand to his eyes as he propped himself up with the other. Willie gripped him again, fearing he would bolt, and tried to tug him closer to his own body instead. He had little strength left, but to his surprise, Danny went to him easily, melting into his hold. Willie wrapped him up, ignoring the pain in his chest as he pulled him tight, and they lay there on the tunnel floor, Danny sobbing and Willie softly kissing his cheek, whispering comfort as silent tears trailed through the sand on his face. 

 

*** 

 

Willie’s world almost came down around him one more time when he discovered Danny trying to make his own escape just before they were all set to get out through Harry. He was able to stop him for a moment, but Danny pushed him against the wall of the hut and explained the extent of his claustrophobia. Willie’s heart broke as he listened to his story, knowing how he got it all wrong, and that the truth of his claustrophobia was even worse than his theory of Danny only being afraid of getting buried alive. When Danny went on to explain his deep yearning for freedom, he unwittingly took Willie’s already broken heart and stomped it into pieces. Danny had been pushing desperately past his fear the whole time they had been digging, and now that Willie knew the exact nature of it, he made a solemn vow to get them both through Harry, together, no matter what. 

 

They made it back into their hut hand in hand with pounding hearts, but Willie just couldn't let him go. There was something that he wanted just as badly as Danny wanted his freedom, and he knew now that if Danny could be so brave, that he could too. 

 

“This way,” he whispered, tugging Danny towards the washroom at the end of the hut. “I won't be able to sleep until I tell you something.” 

 

Danny followed silently as Willie pulled him behind the shower wall and they crouched down together on the concrete, huddled close enough to share breath. 

 

“You couldn't have gone,” Willie began. “Not alone.” 

 

Danny nodded, and wiped away a tear. “I know. I'm sorry. I panic. I… don't want to leave you. Ever.” 

 

Willie grinned ear to ear. “Me neither,” he breathed, inching closer. “I need you. We're getting out, _together_. I can't…. Not with anyone else.” 

 

Danny's eyes lowered and Willie felt his lips tingle, felt a shiver go down his spine in the moment that seemed to last so long before Danny caught him in a kiss, so sweet and so _Danny_ that all he could do was smile into it. They broke apart briefly and Willie laughed and pulled him in again, deliriously happy to have him. He felt Danny return a smile against his lips and he reached up to ruffle his hair as he pulled away, making him laugh quietly. He tucked his chin into his chest, typically shy, and Willie took the opportunity to kiss his forehead and wrap his arms around his shoulders, pulling him so close and so tight that it raised a question in his mind. 

 

“Danny?” 

 

“Hm?” 

 

“Am I making you claustrophobic right now?” 

 

He could feel Danny laugh, and loosened his hold on him. “It was a fair question!” 

 

Danny shook his head. “No, Willie,” he said, eyes warm, reaching a hand to pat his cheek. “Was _silly_ question.” 

 

Willie shivered as Danny’s hand slid back around his neck and pulled him in for another soft kiss. 

 

“Feel safe with you. Always.” 

 

Willie reached up to circle his fingers around Danny’s wrist. “Good.” He took his hand in both of his and kissed the rough, calloused pads of his fingertips. “Because I want you with me. Forever.” 

 

*** 

 

Willie held up his end of the deal by getting Danny through the tunnel, through the air raid, through the pitch black, as he trembled in the darkness and all Willie could do was hold on and talk him through it. He followed Danny out of the hole at the end of it, said goodbye to Hilts, and they melted into the cold, dark forest side by side. They slept huddled together every night, until they found the rowboat, and then they took turns pulling themselves far, far away from the camp. Muffling the oars so they could travel undetected at night, they hardly rested until they reached a port where they stowed away on a Swedish ship, huddled together in the hold like a pair of cold, dirty sardines. 

 

The ship from Sweden to England was no luxury cruiser, but it was comfortable, and more importantly, it was freedom. They shared their own room, not spacious, but certainly not claustrophobic, and Willie tested his latest theory further by crawling into Danny's bunk and covering him with his body, caging him in with his arms and kissing him as long and deep as he liked. They rolled with the ship, laughed and smiled and explored what seemed like acres of skin, and discovered everything the tunnels had never allowed them. And Willie promised to see to it that Danny would never have to escape again.


End file.
